Locking hair curler



Dec. 15, 1964 x. v. MECCA 3,161,202

LOCKING HAIR CURLER Filed Dec. 21. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.XAVIER V MECCA BY WW ATTORNE Y Dec. 15, 1964 x. v. MECCA 3,161,202

LOCKING HAIR CURLER Filed Dec. 21. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.XAVIER V MECCA BY WM ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,161,202 LOCKINGHAIR QURLER Xavier V. Mecca, 150 Chestnut St., Garden Qity, NFL FiledDec. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 161,156 1 Claim. (6!. 1312-40} This inventionrelates to hair curlers and more particularly to such means havingintegral locking means.

More particularly the present invention provides a hair curling devicehaving a quick and easy locking means.

Conventional hair curlers are generally locked in position by means ofhair pins, bobby pins or locking levers or clips attached to the curler.

The present invention generally comprises a hollow tubular member havinga plurality of slots in its surface and an inner member rotatablymounted inside the outer member. The inner member has a plurality ofhooked teeth which extend through the slots and a knob which extendsbeyond the outer member.

The present curler is used in conventional manner by rolling up the hairon the curler. When the hair curler is in the proper position the knobon the inner toothed member is rotated for instance a quarter turnrelative the outer member which will cause the teeth to lock the hairbetween the inner and the outer members, thereby securing the curler inposition. This locking function may be performed very quickly and easilywith a simple motion of the knob without applying any additional pins orlocking devices.

Accordingly a principal object of the invention is to provide new andimproved hair curler means.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved haircurler means having quick and easy locking means, and eliminate the useof end papers.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved haircurler means having integral locking means.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved lockinghair curler means comprising an outer hollow tubular member having aplurality of parallel slots in a surface, an inner member rotatablymounted inside said outer member, said inner member having a pluralityof hooked teeth mounted on the inner member and adapted to extendthrough said slots in locked relation to said outer member.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and drawings, of which FIG. 1 is a perspectiveview of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the inner member.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the outer member.

FIG. 6 is an end view of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a detail view showing the snap-in connection means between theinner and the outer members.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view illustrating the operation of theinvention.

Referring to the figures, the invention generally comprises a hollowtubular outer member 1 which has a plurality of slots 2, 3, 4 in itsouter surface. The slots 2, 3 and 4 are generally perpendicular to theaxis of the tubular outer member. Knob 19 is fixedly connected to theouter member 1. The outer member 1 is also shown in FIG. 5.

The outer member 1 also has a long slot 5 which runs parallel to itsaxis and which is open on one end. The purpose of this slot is to permitthe insertion of the inner core member 6 which has a plurality of hookedteeth 10,

3,161,202 Patented Dec. 15., 1964 11, 12 which are adapted to extendthrough the slots 2, 3 and 4 in the outer member. The inner member has aknob 9 connected thereto which is adapted to extend beyond the outermember. The purpose of the knob 9 is to lock the device by rotating theinner member relative the outer member by taking the knob between thethumb and forefinger. The outer member also has a plurality ofventilation slots 15, 16, etc. to facilitate drying of the hair. Theouter member, in addition, has a plurality of sharp points orprojections 20, 21, 22, etc., which engage the hair and minimizeslipping of the hair on the curler as the curler is rolled up, and alsomay be used to provide combing action to the hair.

Referring more specifically to FIG. 2, which shows a side view of theinner member, the inner member comprises a core 23 having a plurality ofspaced projections 24, 25, 26 spaced along its axis. On theseprojections is mounted a plurality of teeth 10, 10a, 10b and 13, 13a,13b. The teeth are equally spaced around the periphery of the core 23and there are preferably at least four sets of teeth so spaced, withcorresponding slots in the outer member.

Referring more specifically to FIG. 4, the teeth 10, ltia have a hookedconfiguration and are shaped so that the teeth extend through the slotsin the outer member 1 to a predetermined point above the surface of themember 1. The tooth is then hook shaped in a direction along the surfaceof the member 1 but tapering inwardly towards the surface of the member1.

The inner and outer members may be made of conventional plasticmaterials and may be molded. Connection channels are provided in theinner and outer members so that the inner member may be easily snappedinto and out of the outer member. These connection channels or groovesare shown in detail in FIG. 7 which shows a detailed view of the areasenclosed in the circles 7 and 7' of FIGS. 2 and 5. More specifically theinner member has a circular groove 30 and the outer member has aplurality of projections 31 which have a pointed configuration which isadapted to fit into the groove 30 of the inner member. The projections31, 31a, 31b are equally spaced around the periphery of the outer member31. The reason for the spaces between the projections 31 etc. is so thatthe projections may have sufficient elasticity to yield and snap intothe groove 30 on the inner member. Other conventional ship-in connectionmeans may be used if desired.

In operation, the ends of the hair H are placed against the surface ofthe curler, or the roller is placed at the mid dle of a strand and drawnto the hair ends with a combing action. The curler is then rolled up,thereby forming the hair into a roll in conventional manner. After thecurler is in the desired position it is easily and quickly locked byrotating the knob 9 a sufficient distance to cause the teeth on theinner member to engage the hair H between the inner surface of the teethand the outer surface of the member 1 as shown by the dotted position ofthe teeth in FIG. 8. The frictional grip thus obtained will securelyhold the curler in place. If desired the slots in the outer member maybe tapered so that there will be a frictional locking between the slotsand the stems of the teeth. The direction of rotation is preferably thedirection of the open ends of the teeth. Thecurling is done by rollingthe knob 19 connected to the outer member, for instance with the lefthand. After the curl has been properly positioned, the curler is lockedto the hair by rotating the knob 9 on the inner member approximately Aof a turn to lock the hair between the teeth and the outer member 1.

Many modifications may be made by those who desire to practice theinvention without departing from the scope thereof which is defined bythe following claim.

I claim: I

A locking hair curler comprising;

an outer tubular member having a plurality of parallel slots in itsouter surface spaced substantially along the entire length of saidtubular member, I

said slots being generally perpendicular to the axis of "said member,means to lock hair-to said outer member when curled around said outermember, comprising an inner member rotatably mounted inside said hollowouter member,

a plurality of hooked teeth mounted on said inner memher and extendingthrough the slots in locking relationship to said outer member, and aknob connected to said inner member,

said outer member having along slot open at one end and parallel itsaxis to permit said'toothed inner member to be inserted in 'said outermember in communication with said parallel slot, said outer and innermembers'having snap-in connection means.

8/25 Laufe 132-160 12/48 Norin et a1. a 13234- 12/51 Zurndorfer 132-12312/52 Giordano 13234- 11/53 Reed et a1. 132-41 10/56 Krauss et al.-13240 2/57 Whitehill 13234 X 8/57 Lerner 132-34 3/58 Taylor 132'40FOREIGN PATENTS 10/ 60' France.

2/58 Italy.

RICHARD A, GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 20 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiner.

